Need to change the outers on my rear hub (hope the inner doesn't need doing...), any recommendations? Are these ceramic ones worth it for £28?
I can't imagine I'd notice ceramic bearings, but 100% I'd notice the drive-side bearing being wobbly. Remember that the free hub bearings only hold the cassette. The wheel rim is held by two bearings, one by the disc and the 'middle' one as you call it.
They're not too hard to do. Obviously you need the DT tool to do the middle one. In my experience they were all equally sloppy so skipping the middle one doesn't make sense IMO. I think I bought a cheaper made-in-China tool from Amazon for a tenner or so (worked fine). The tool is easy to use (with a vice) but requires more force than I've ever used on a bike!
As for bearings, the decent Enduro ones (from here https://www.kineticbikebearings.com/sealed-bearings/wheel-and-bottom-bracket-bearings.html) aren't much more expensive than cheap ones. So that's what I did.
Be careful with the tool!
It can take that much force, I ended up shattering the tool, ripping the vice of the bench and bending my axle slightly (not all at the same time!).
The only bike related thing that has defeated me so far.
I'd been wondering this, having now invested in a second set of 350s.
The stock bearings seem to spin more freely than anything else I've ever owned, is that something to do with the hub design or are the stock bearings just very very very good?
I'd be inclined just to use OEM DT bearings on that basis...
13thfloormonk
Full MemberThe stock bearings seem to spin more freely than anything else I’ve ever owned, is that something to do with the hub design or are the stock bearings just very very very good?
TBH the stock bearings in the 350 aren't that brilliant, it's one of the places they save a little cost over the 240. They work fine though. I think it's mostly just very good tolerances that make them feel that little bit spinnier.
The stock bearings seem to spin more freely than anything else I’ve ever owned, is that something to do with the hub design or are the stock bearings just very very very good?
They're far from terrible but the smooth feel is probably got more to do with the alignment and very tight overall tolerances of the hub shells, axles and end caps together.
The aftermarket bearings DT sell (the 'red seal' jobbies) are 240 grade and only about a tenner each.
Hard to look past them TBH.
I'm pretty sure the stock red ones in the 240 are NTN (Japanese made and very high quality). At least they are in my front hub.
I'd avoid unbranded ceramic bearings, I tried a ceramic bb from aerozine and the driveside didn't last long, if you can get NTN I can highly recommend them, but I usually just go for Enduro.
